Ans. Those in verse 9 may be true believers, for "these things" that they lack do not include faith, but seven graces which were to be added to faith; and it is faith that saves, not these graces though they are the blessed fruits of this new life. A Christian who lacks these though saved has no insight into Divine things, has not grown in grace or the knowledge of the Lord, and moreover is in great danger of slipping into the world, and forgetting the practical purity and separation that become the Christian path.
Ques. Where do we find the Scripture about the angels who fell being part of the first creation?
Ans. There is a certain mystery connected with the angelic fall. In Ezekiel the fall of Satan is recorded and quite evidently it was connected with the earth in its former state. Ezek. 28:12-1712Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. (Ezekiel 28:12‑17), is generally understood by those we esteem, Mr. Darby, Kelly, and others, as the primitive creation. The fact that Satan fell we get in Genesis. Almost immediately Satan appears and gets in his deadly work, so he must have fallen before this. Then we see from other Scriptures that Satan has angels subordinate to him and we assume when he fell, his angels fell with him. There was evidently a plot to occupy a higher position than God gave him and Satan has today about us a host of angels, but God has a host of angels who see us if we do not see them, so women should cover their heads in prayer because of the angels.
Ques. At what age should the girls cover their heads at family prayer?
Ans. When the little girls see their mothers covering their heads at prayer, they are very likely to ask why and want to follow their example. The head of the house is responsible to see that there is godly order in the house because angels observe what goes on in our houses.
Ques. When will Ezekiel's Temple be built? At the beginning of the David reign of Christ, or when the Solomon character begins? (Ezek. 40, etc.)
Ans. As Ezekiel does not come to his description of the Millennial temple until after the destruction of all Israel's enemies, ending with Gog and Magog in the 38th and 39th chapters, we conclude that the rebuilding of the temple, and the replacing of the twelve tribes takes place during the beginning of the Solomon reign of Christ. This would also agree with the prohibition to David (1 Chron. 22:88But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. (1 Chronicles 22:8)), and the commission to Solomon with respect to the building of the first temple. (2 Sam. 7:1313He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. (2 Samuel 7:13).)
Ques. Did the Day of Grace begin when the Lord Jesus died on the cross, or on the day of Pentecost?
Ans. The Day of Grace began with the ministry of Jesus, (John 1:1717For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)) though the full character of that Grace was not brought out till the ministry of Paul.
Ques. Please explain Acts 22:1616And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16). I do not understand baptism as a saving ordinance, but do not know how to explain this verse to those who do.